One Who Confronts
by suzie2b
Summary: The Rat Patrol discovers German plans of attack.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **One Who Confronts**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **On April 28, 1937, a boy was born to Subha Tulfah al-Mussallat, a single mother who had lost a husband and a thirteen-year-old son in less than one year—two years before WW2 began.**

 **The baby was sent to live with an uncle and his family until his mother remarried—he was then just three-years-old. He gained three half-brothers when his mother married Ibrahim al-Hassan.**

 **By the time the boy was four-years-old the family had fled their native Iraq, only to discover the war was being fought in some form everywhere. They finally settled in a village in the Western Desert of Egypt near the Bahariya Oasis.**

 **Ibrahim al-Hassan was not a loving father to any of his children, but he tended to be harsher with the youngest and the three older boys followed suit, making life for Subha Tulfah al-Mussallat's son hard. However the youngster was stronger than anyone believed, and by the time he'd turned five, the boy could stand up for himself against anyone who dared to tease or bully him.**

 **##################**

 **With their mission in a northwestern part of the Sudan complete, the Rat Patrol were heading home to their base in Ras Tanura. They were just about to cross into Libya when they spotted a German column coming in their general direction. Luckily, Hitch and Tully expertly guided jeeps, Bertha and Olive, into the sparse cover of a dried up waterhole. The privates quickly covered the jeeps with camouflaged tarps and ducked down with Sergeants Troy and Moffitt just as the column began to roll by.**

 **It was a large column and took nearly ten minutes for it to rumble by the Allies hiding place. Once the German vehicles had passed, the four men stood up and Moffitt said, "That's not just a column, that's a Company with full armament. Something must be going on."**

 **Troy brushed sand off the front of his shirt. "Yeah. Let's monitor the radios for a while. Maybe we can find out where they're going and why."**

 **Moffitt sat in the passenger seat of one jeep, headphones covering his ears as he scanned known German frequencies. Tully sat in the second jeep monitoring a different set of frequencies. After several minutes, Moffitt pulled the headphones off and said, "I've found them."**

 **Tully removed his headphones and turned off the radio before joining Troy, Moffitt, and Hitch.**

 **Moffitt had disconnected the headset and set it aside as he began to translate, "They're just about to turn north to go into Egypt."**

 **They listened a bit, then Moffitt began to scribble in his ever-present notebook as Tully said, "They're meeting another Company at Bahariya Oasis."**

" **I've written down the coordinates." Moffitt grabbed a map from the map bag and quickly spread it on the hood of the jeep. He calculated what he'd written down and finally circled a spot. "This is Bahariya Oasis here."**

 **Troy looked at it and said, "It's not marked, but there must be villages in the area since this is a water source."**

" **That would be my guess too."**

 **Hitch asked, "What do you think the Germans want there?"**

 **Moffitt replied, "Could be just a meeting place and a way to get water before heading out again."**

 **Troy questioned, "Did they say anything about going somewhere else or what they're planning?"**

 **Both Moffitt and Tully shook their heads, as Moffitt said, "All we heard was talk about the coordinates of the meeting place."**

 **Hitch said, "But Egypt is considered British territory."**

" **Mostly. There are some pockets of resistance."**

 **Tully said, "Could be the Germans are gonna make a push of some kind."**

 **Troy nodded. "Maybe we should try to find out."**

 **Moffitt said matter-of-factly, "I could be a trap, Troy. They could know that we're in the area and are hoping we'll do exactly what you're talking about."**

" **Even Dietrich wouldn't waste that much men and equipment to set a trap for us. If they're preparing for some kind of offensive move, we need to let the British know about it. We know where they're headed so we can hang back far enough not to be seen."**

 **##################**

 **When they caught up with the German Company, the Rat Patrol hid behind a rocky hill. At the top, they didn't need binoculars to see what they were up against.**

 **Moffitt said, "There must be upwards to four hundred men down there."**

 **Troy nodded. "Along with the firepower to support them."**

 **Hitch said, "They must be planning an offensive, sarge. What else could it be?"**

 **Moffitt frowned. "There's a British base about a hundred miles outside of Cairo."**

 **Tully asked, "You think they're gonna try to take the base? Wouldn't they need more men and guns for that?"**

 **Troy said, "We'd better try to find out."**

 **They watched and listened. The Germans didn't move and the radio frequency was dead silent. One thing they had noticed was there was only one tent set up—no doubt being used for communications and planning. When darkness fell and the two camps settled down for the night, the Rat Patrol went to work.**

 **Troy expertly got them past the guards. The tent was their destination as they quietly moved among the sleeping soldiers. One radioman was on duty with a lantern hanging from the raised center of the tent. The German had headphones on, but was relaxed with his feet up on the desk in front of him. With a nod from Troy, Hitch crept up on the radioman and rendered him unconscious with a sharp chop to the back of his neck. His feet hit the ground as he slumped in the chair and by all appearances looked to be sleeping.**

 **Since everything was in German, Moffitt and Tully rifled through the paperwork and maps on the long table for anything useful. Tully handed a file folder to Moffitt, who quickly checked it before slipping it into his jacket along with a map of interest.**

 **Hitch was the first to spot the German guards running towards the tent and said with quiet urgency, "I think they know we're here!"**

 **Troy moved to the lantern and extinguished it. "Moffitt! Tully! Let's go!"**

 **Hitch went out first, followed by Moffitt. Troy looked at Tully in the dark and said, "Go!"**

 **Tully started out the door with Troy on his heels when several shots were fired. He heard a pained grunt as Troy went down. Tully turned back for the sergeant and was quickly surrounded.**

 **What no one saw was a young boy standing against a halftrack watching the goings on. Except he was known to be there by one person—Captain Landsberg, commander of one of the German Companies.**

 **A large hand came down gently on the boy's shoulder, making him gasp and jump. The captain smiled down at the youngster and said in English, "Thank you, young man, for informing me of the intruders." Landsberg dropped several coins into the boy's hands. "Now, it is late. You should be home in bed."**

 **The boy simply nodded and ran off, presumably towards home.**

 **##################**

 **Moffitt and Hitch were able to get out and back to the jeeps while the Germans concentrated on Troy and Tully. They scrambled up the hill to see what was going on and noticed that generators had been started to power some lights. Moffitt and Hitch could only watch as Troy and Tully were escorted away.**

 **Hitch sent a plume of fog into the cold night air as he asked, "What are we gonna do?"**

 **Moffitt shook his head. "Nothing just now. They'll be waiting for us to mount a rescue. I'll check that file and map we found in the morning. Hopefully that'll give us a clue about what's going on."**

 **The lantern in the tent was relit. Moments later, the injured radioman was carried out. Minutes later, Captain Landsberg rushed out and returned with what appeared to be a German major.**

 **Hitch said, "Looks like they know something's missing."**

 **Moffitt gave a nod. "No doubt."**

 **##################**

 **Major Engel stood before the table that was being sorted through by two men. "What is missing, Captain Landsberg?"**

" **So far a file that was sent to us from Berlin, major."**

" **Which file, captain?"**

 **Landsberg sighed. "The one from Das Oberkommando outlining what we are doing out here."**

 **Major Engel took a deep breath in an effort to calm his growing anger. "Were the prisoners searched?"**

" **Yes, major. Nothing was found."**

" **Do you know if they were working alone?"**

 **Captain Landsberg said, "I believe there were two more of them, but they escaped."**

 **Major Engel asked, "Why do you believe this, captain?"**

" **I have seen the reports and pictures, major. They look like two of the four commandos known as the Rat Patrol."**

 **The major's eyebrows went up. "I see. I would like to meet our guests."**

 **##################**

 **Tully pressed a kerchief against the bullet wound in Troy's left shoulder. "It's hard to tell in this dim light, but I think the bleeding has pretty much stopped."**

 **Troy took gauze and tape out of the small pouch on his belt. "Put a dressing on it."**

 **Tully had just taped the bandage down when Major Engel and Captain Landsberg appeared. The major demanded, "Why are they lose? They should be in chains!"**

 **The captain quickly ordered one of the guards to get handcuffs. "I apologize, major." He glared at the second guard and said, "I thought they knew better."**

 **Major Engel looked down at the two Americans where they sat on the sand. "So, you are members of the infamous Rat Patrol."**

 **Troy stared back and asked, "Who wants to know?"**

" **I am Major Engel." He indicated the captain and said, "This is Captain Landsberg. We are the commanders of these men. Which one are you?"**

" **Sergeant Troy. He's Private Pettigrew."**

" **Very good, sergeant. Now tell me, what were you doing here?"**

 **Troy said sarcastically, "Taking in the scenery."**

 **Captain Landberg started forward to kick the sergeant, but Tully was on his feet in a flash ready to defend Troy.**

 **Major Engel smiled. "Stand down, captain."**

 **Troy said cautiously, "Back off, Tully."**

 **The private didn't take his eyes off the captain as he backed up and sat down again.**

 **The guard returned with the cuffs. One end was locked around Tully's wrist, and the other was attached to the halftrack they were sitting next to. The same was done to Troy.**

 **Major Engel said, "We will do an interrogation in the morning."**

 **##################**

 **First thing in the morning Moffitt went through the file and studied the map. When he was finished, he went to talk to Hitch, who was on watch. "See anything?"**

 **Hitch nodded. "They've got Troy and Tully handcuffed to a halftrack, and it looks like Troy was hit in the shoulder last night. Did you find anything in that stuff we took?"**

" **Indeed I did and it's as I suggested. They're going to hit that British base outside of Cairo. The only thing is, there are at least four more German Companies out there waiting for the command to attack. Their plan is to hit the base on all four sides at once. The commanders here are a Major Engel and a Captain Landsberg."**

" **Geez, the British won't stand a chance against that kind of firepower. What do we do?"**

" **I'm thinking about that now."**

" **What about Troy and Tully?"**

 **Moffitt smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I haven't forgotten them. I've a feeling they're safe for now."**

 **Hitch asked, "How can you be sure?"**

" **For one thing, they're still alive."**

" **And?"**

 **Moffitt sighed. "The Germans probably know who they are and will be waiting for us to go in after them."**

 **##################**

 **Several hours after sunup Captain Landsberg, two guards, and a medic walked up to Troy and Tully. The captain told one of the guards to take Tully. As the guard removed the handcuff from the halftrack to cuff Tully's hands in front of him, Landsberg said, "While the private is being interrogated, this medic will see to your wound, sergeant."**

 **Tully stood and looked at Troy, who said, "I'll be okay."**

 **The private glared at the captain and said, "He'd better be."**

 **As the medic knelt next to Troy, Captain Landsberg said, "Bring him."**

 **Tully was escorted to the communications and planning tent. He stood stoically before Major Engel, who said, "Good morning, Private Pettigrew."**

 **Tully said, "Is it, major? I hadn't noticed."**

 **Engel smiled. "Yes, it is … for us." The smile faded and the major said, "I have questions for you, private. I do hope you'll cooperate."**

 **##################**

 **Moffitt and Hitch saw Tully led away as the German medic knelt next to Troy. They watched as one of the guards held Troy, who was still handcuffed, steady as the bullet was removed from his shoulder.**

 **Hitch frowned angrily. "They could've at least given him something before diggin' around for that bullet."**

 **Moffitt watched Troy sit unmoving as the medic worked. The only outward sign of what was happening was the grimace on Troy's face as he squeezed his eyes closed against the pain. "Why would they waste precious morphine on a prisoner of war?"**

 **When the medic was finished and had bandaged the wound, Troy was given what Moffitt and Hitch assumed was aspirin.**

 **Hitch caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye and turned to see a small boy in the back of one of the jeeps. He started to get to his feet as he said, "Sarge, we've got company."**

 **Moffitt turned and said, "You better get him. The last thing we need is him telling the Germans where we are."**

 **Without another word Hitch headed down the hill at a run. The boy looked up and saw the American coming for him. He jumped out of the jeep and took off. However, his short legs were no match for the strong adult male that was after him.**

 **Hitch tackled the boy and brought him up kicking and screaming. Holding him under one arm like a sack of potatoes with his other hand over the boy's mouth, Hitch moved quickly back to the jeeps.**

 **Moffitt was waiting as Hitch set the boy on his feet, but kept a firm hold on him and kept his mouth covered. Moffitt said, "If you promise not to make any noise, he'll remove his hand." The boy nodded and Hitch removed his hand from his mouth. "What were you doing in our jeep?"**

 **The boy looked up at the Brit defiantly. "I need something."**

" **And what would that be?"**

" **Something to show the German captain."**

 **Moffitt asked, "Why?"**

 **The boy's eyes were hard—not like a child's eyes should be—as he said, "So he will know I do not lie."**

 **Hitch said, "In other words he was going to tell them where we are."**

 **Moffitt sighed. "It would appear so." He looked down at the boy again and asked, "What's your name?"**

" **I am Saddam** **Hussein** **."**

" **Where do you live, Saddam?" The boy went silent and Moffitt said, "All right, tie him up in the shade … and you'd better gag him."**

 **Rather than using the rough rope they usually used on prisoners, Hitch found some not too dirty rags to tie Saddam's wrists behind him and his ankles, and used his kerchief to gag him. When he rejoined Moffitt, Hitch said, "Boy, he doesn't act like any of the kids we've been around. There's a lot of anger in him."**

 **Moffitt sighed sadly. "He's obviously seen a lot of the war in his young life. His name says a lot about him really."**

" **His name?"**

" **Saddam means 'one who confronts'."**

 **##################**

 **When Tully was returned to and was again cuffed to the halftrack, he had a bruised jaw and split lip. Troy opened his eyes and asked, "You okay?"**

 **Tully nodded. "They didn't want to hurt me too bad. The major wants to save us for the Gestapo. How're you doing?"**

" **That medic took the bullet out and stitched me up."**

 **Tully saw the look in the sergeant's eyes and asked, "Did he give you something for pain?"**

 **Troy replied, "Aspirin … at least I think that's what it was." He pointed to a canteen that lay in the shade just under the halftrack. "He left that. Drink up."**

 **Tully rinsed his mouth, then took a drink before he said quietly without looking at the sergeant, "If we're still here after dark, I'm gettin' us outta here."**

 **Troy laid his head back against the side of the halftrack as if nothing had been said, but the thumb of his left hand, which lay limply next to him, went up slightly in acknowledgement.**

 **##################**

 **The day passed slowly. Hitch kept watch from the hill while Moffitt sent a code message to the British base near Cairo and hoped they'd take the warning seriously.**

 **As night fell, the only light in the two camps were from the cooking fires and the lantern light in the tent.**

 **Once it was too dark to see the prisoners, Hitch set the binoculars aside and stared at the spot where he knew his friends were.**

 **Moffitt joined Hitch with a K-ration dinner and a canteen. "How are things down there?"**

 **Hitch took the boxed meal gratefully. "Quiet. When are we going in?"**

" **We'll wait until everyone but the guards have bedded down for the night."**

" **Do you really think we can get Troy and Tully out of there?"**

 **Moffitt looked down at the camp with a sigh. "We don't have a choice. We're only going to get one chance."**

 **As he ate, Hitch glanced down at the boy. He could just be seen in the light of the fire, laying on his side and covered with a blanket that Moffitt had put over him. "What're we going to do with Saddam?"**

" **We'll let him go when we leave. I don't think…" Moffitt was interrupted when a flashlight came on in the camp. "Look at that."**

 **The beam from the flashlight illuminated first Troy and then Tully. After going back and forth several times, the light went out again.**

 **Hitch frowned as he watched. "What was that all about?"**

 **Moffitt grinned. "We may not have to go in to get them after all."**

" **Why not?"**

" **Call it gut instinct."**

 **##################**

 **As soon as it got too dark for the guard to seen them clearly, Tully carefully reached into his jacket with his free hand and slowly unzipped the little pocket. When the shadowy figure of the guard didn't move, he started to pull out his small ring of master keys. However, one of the keys got hung up in the zipper, causing Tully to fumble and drop them. At the quiet jingle when they hit the sand, he looked at the guard and saw him begin to turn in the dark. He quickly pushed the keys under his thigh as the flashlight came on.**

 **Troy appeared to be asleep, but Tully was sitting there glaring at the guard. The beam of light went back and forth several times before again stopping on Tully. The guard told the American to go to sleep. "Gehe schlafen."**

 **Tully surprised the guard by telling him he was sleepy. "Nicht schläfrig."**

 **The guard clicked off the light and turned his back to the prisoners again.**

 **Tully waited until he was sure the guard wasn't watching him, then retrieved the keys. He carefully kept the keys silent in his cuffed hand while feeling each one at a time with the other. When he recognized the cuts in one key he carefully transferred the ring to his free hand and put the key into the lock. It didn't turn, so he went through the process again until he found another possibility. This time he was rewarded with a soft snap. Tully watched the guard, but he didn't turn around. Once he was out of the handcuff he stood up and silently moved up behind the German and clapped a hand over his mouth. Before the guard had time to struggle Tully gave his head quick, hard twist and heard his neck break. He dragged the body over next to the halftrack and went to free Troy, who was waiting for him.**

 **##################**

 **Moffitt hurried down the hill and woke Hitch. He whispered, "Someone's coming."**

 **As Troy and Tully appeared out of the darkness, they found Moffitt and Hitch standing there with guns at the ready. Moffitt smiled as he said, "I thought it might be you two." He looked at Tully. "Once again they didn't find your keys did they?"**

 **Tully smiled. "They never seem to locate that one pocket."**

 **Then Troy spotted the boy where he was now sitting up staring at them. "Who's he?"**

 **Moffitt replied, "His name is Saddam Hussein. I'd be willing to wager that he's why the Germans discovered us and caught you two."**

" **Oh really?"**

" **Hitch and I caught him rummaging through one of the jeeps. He said he needed something to give to Captain Landsberg so he would be believed when he told the captain where to find us."**

 **Troy asked, "What were you intending to do with him?"**

 **Moffitt shrugged. "Turn him loose when we leave. We have no reason to hang onto him."**

 **Suddenly, they heard shouting coming from the German camp and Tully said, "They must know we're gone."**

 **Troy gave a little smile. "Untie the kid. Let's go let them know we're still around."**

 **##################**

 **As the jeeps sped out of hiding, the Allies saw that the generator powered lights were on, allowing the Germans to more easily search for the missing prisoners. However, it was also let the Rat Patrol see their targets.**

 **On the hill where Moffitt and Hitch had been keeping watch, stood a small boy of five. Saddam Hussein's face was a mask of young fury as his hate towards the Allies grew while watching the fighting.**

 **##################**

 **Before the Germans could rally to go after them, the Rat Patrol disappeared into the dark desert. Twenty or so miles later they pulled into a waterhole to rest and wait for daylight.**

 **Moffitt was checking Troy's shoulder when the sergeant asked, "What did you find in the stuff you and Hitch got away with?"**

 **Moffitt said, "Plans to attack that British base. There are four or more Companies like Major Engel and Captain Landsberg's waiting for the word to attack."**

" **Did you get word to the base?"**

" **I did. At least the Germans will be down two Companies when they go in."**

 **Troy grimaced slightly as Moffitt used a flashlight to check the stitches and clean the wound. "I think we did enough damage that when the major reports what happened, the Germans will probably assume the base will be expecting them and call the whole thing off."**

 **Moffitt applied a little sulfa powder and was taping down a fresh bandage as he said, "Let's hope so. Looks like the stitches held and there was little bleeding. I'll give you some morphine so you can rest."**

" **I need to contact Ras Tanura and let them know what's going on."**

 **Moffitt poked the syrette into Troy's arm and delivered a dose of morphine. "I'll take care of that. You just get some sleep."**

 **Troy sighed tiredly. "Who's on watch?"**

" **Tully is at the moment. Hitch is getting some rest."**

 **Troy settled down on a blanket. "No more than two hours a shift."**

 **Moffitt smiled as he covered his friend with another blanket. "It's all under control, Troy. Now go to sleep."**

 **As Troy drifted off, he gave a little snicker and said quietly, "Okay, mom."**


End file.
